


It's All or Nothing

by char1ynch



Category: American Horror Story
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Female Character, Character Death, Denial of Feelings, F/F, Fluff, Forced Marriage, Lesbian Character, Marriage of Convenience, Original Character(s), Princes & Princesses, Princesses, Sexuality Crisis, Teen Angst, Teenage Marriage, Warm, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, simon is an oc character, wlw, zadison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2019-09-29 19:01:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17209133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/char1ynch/pseuds/char1ynch
Summary: Zoe and Madison as 15th century princesses.(inspired by a reign fic on wattpad)





	1. Ballrooms & Princesses

 

Going to the infamous French Court had always been a dream of the young queen. She had heard countless tales of consorts or executives close to her family arriving in France and then finding love in absolutely no time at all. Zoe’s parents had been pushing for her to find a suitor for quite some time now, and now that she had finally turned 17, there was no way to avoid the cherished event any longer. She was going to the French Court to meet the boy she was going to be marrying in little to no time, Prince Simon Allaire, the heir to the French throne. She wasn’t going on this journey alone however, she was being accompanied by three of her dearest friends, Lady Alice of Portree, Lady Genevieve of Melrose, and Lady Katherine of Linlithgow. She couldn’t deny the nervous feeling she had in the pit of her stomach as her and her three ladies piled into the back of the carriage, and talked quietly among themselves.

 

“Are you alright Your Grace?” Genevieve asked from beside her, resting her hand lightly over her future queen’s. She looked at her and feigned a small smile, nodding her head slightly before she turned her gaze back to the window, where the beautifully colored leaves flew by in a flurry. They had been in the small space for many hours now and she had grown quite restless, but she still kept up the optimistic view for her ladies, and for her future kingdom that she would rule alongside the prince.

 

“It appears that we are growing close to the castle, I am quite excited to meet the plethora of endless suitors for us lonely girls.” Alice giggled from across the carriage, exchanging a smile with Katherine, who was just as excited as she was. She resisted the urge to sigh at the behavior they were exhibiting, and she hoped that they would maintain their composure by the time she was meeting her future husband.

 

“Can you two please keep your desire to yourselves? This is about Zoe and the future of our home, not about who can find a husband first. We have to be respectful to ourselves, and our families during our visit, we are their representatives after all.” Genevieve said sternly, her hand resting on the queen’s once more. Out of the three of her ladies, she respected and admired the younger blonde the most, looking to her for her most important decisions and relying on her for support when the weight of the world became too much for her. She definitely had thought she had feelings for her, but that was prohibited and very taboo, and she couldn’t risk her family name by publicly being with a woman.

 

“Oh my goodness, we are here!” the redhead said excitedly, leaning over the raven haired girl to get a better look at the expansive castle, her mouth practically watering at all the possibilities that were going to be available to her here.

 

“I can not wait to explore the castle and its diverse selection of other royal families.” The blonde smiled fondly, probably recounting all of the times she had almost married a royal but was shunned by said royal for the wealth her family lacked. She had always remained humble and hopeful though, which is another aspect of her personality that she looked to. When the carriage came to a stop, a servant was quick to open the door for the four teenage girls, helping them out of the cramped space with a light as feather grip. When she stepped onto the road in front of the castle, her breath caught in her throat. It was so much more beautiful in person, and she couldn’t stop the feeling of awe from spreading all over her body.

 

“This palace is truly stunning, you are so lucky your grace.” The shorter girl said breathlessly, gripping her slender arm in her own, pulling their bodies closer than was allowed. She heard the sound of trumpets and she turned her head to the entrance of the castle, where the French family was beginning to emerge. First she saw the Queen, who looked as regal and posh as she expected her to look. Then came the King, who looked as intimidating as she thought he would look. A few servants and butlers followed in their wake, and then came the person she had came all this way for, the heir to the throne, Simon. He looked taller than she pictured him to be inside of her mind, but she was pleased with the height difference between the two of them.

 

“Your Grace.” He said sweetly, slightly curtsying to her out of a sign of respect. She mimicked the action, giving him a small smile in return.

 

“You look.. smaller than I expected.” His words were still kind, but they were now paired with a thoughtful expression on his features as he admired her pink dress and then the jewels adorned in the knot on top of her head and then finally her lips, which were still stretched into a polite smile.

 

“You must be exhausted from your journey, please allow me to show you to your chambers for the duration of your stay. The French Court welcomes you, Zoe Queen of Scots.” They walked down the pathway in step with one another, entering the large palace and to the sleeping chambers, where he left her alone to rest for a while and then prepare for the ball that would be thrown in her honor later on that night. She laid on the comfortable bedding and closed her eyes, sighing deeply as she felt a tug in her chest at being so far away from home. She missed her parents, despite how demanding and materialistic they were, and her beautiful homeland, which meant more to her than most associates and people she had encountered during the short span of her life. She opened her eyes and stared up at the grooves in the ceiling above her, and she remained that way for many hours, until the knock at her door startled her into a sitting position, no doubt her ladies or her maids to help her prepare for the extravagant event.

 

“How excited are you for tonight your grace? I am more than ready to represent my family in the most humble way permitted.” The blonde gushed from her place at the end of the bed, where she was laying until she was summoned back to her chambers to dress for the event.

 

“Oh, you will be most humble Genevieve, any person would be lucky to call you their wife.” She smiled at her friend in the reflection of the floor length mirror, and she was happy to see that she smiled back at her, a gleam flashing in her bright blue eyes. She winced as the maid tied the cream colored corset too tightly against her skin, and the doe eyed girl apologized profusely as she adjusted it in a way that would be comfortable for the young queen, exiting the room in shame after she helped her into her simple black gown, which were adorned with the smallest twines of gold and jewels of the same color.

 

“You look beautiful.” She heard her gush, and she turned to her slowly, slightly twirling to show her friend how the dress looked on her physique. She rose to her feet and adjusted the tiara on her head, her hand traveling gently down the length of her jawline before she pulled back sheepishly, clasping her hands in front of her.

 

“I must be going now, I have to prepare for the event as well. Would you like to accompany me to my chambers your grace?” She moved her hands so that they were resting lightly on her stomach, and the young girl smiled, lightly gripping her friends forearms.

 

“I am afraid that can not be possible on this night, I must go find Simon.” She squeezed her arms ever so gently and she pulled back, traveling to the door and exiting the room, waiting in the hallway for her Lady to follow her out. They went their separate ways, and she ignored the feeling in the pit of her stomach as she reached the prince’s chambers, raising her hand to lightly knock on the mahogany.

  


The festivities were in full swing now, and it was a little hard for her to keep up with the amount of people she had been introduced to that night, but she remained posh and polite, sharing smiles and stories with every royal she had come into contact with. She barely got any time with her friends, but she spared a few fleeting moments for each one of them when she got the chance. But for the most part, she had her arm wrapped around Simon’s waist or her hand grasping his as they conversed with different visitors to the kingdom. He had to attend to some business with his father, so he left her to her own devices, and she wandered around the ballroom, still in complete awe of the wondrous size of the castle and the activities that were offered on special days.

 

“Excuse me, you are blocking the way to the food.” She heard a voice from next to her and her jaw nearly rested on the floor beneath her. The girl was gorgeous, and she was a royal from the special crest she wore proudly over the heart of her dress, which was ocean blue and dipped in silver. Her long flowing blonde hair was twisted into an elegant braid, which rested against her ivory colored skin. She was at a loss for words, and apparently the female opposite of her was as well, because she seemed to understand who she was speaking to and her face instantly went red.

 

“Your grace! I am so sorry for my rudeness.” She quickly curtseyed in front of her and she respectfully did the same, resting a hand on her forearm in reassurance.

 

“It is quite alright Lady..?” The girls face realized  what she was asking and she folded her hands and rested them on the front of her dress.

 

“ I am Lady Madison of Artois, and again, I am so sorry for the disrespect your grace, it will not happen again.” She sheepishly turned to leave, but she caught her sleeve and held on with a firm but gentle grip. She ignored the feeling of warmth that spread through her chest at the contact with the shorter girl, but it was still there the remainder of night and when she was lying in her chambers, trying to rest for a few hours before she was to discuss marriage arrangements with Simon, who was more than thrilled to become betrothed to her.

  
_“Lady Madison, why can I not get you out of my head?”_ She thought, turning onto her side so that she was facing the wall, where she knew she would not see the blonde’s face. She eventually fell asleep, but not without the last thought in her confused mind being of the way the blonde’s smile was brighter than anything else in the room around them.


	2. Girls & Galas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> everything changes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> before we start off, i would like to express this;  
> just because Simon is abusive does NOT mean I think Francis was abusive too. The only things the two characters have in common are their nationalities, because I wrote Simon to be French, but those are all the similarities the two share. Francis was the best, and I would NEVER disrespect his name or who he was as a character(and lowk kind of a person too i suppose) by basing such a disgusting character off of who he was portrayed to be in Reign.

The last month had been tumultuous for the Scottish queen and anyone close to her. Within a few weeks of arriving at French Court, Katherine succumbed to an intense illness, leaving Zoe restless and paranoid for the safety of her other 3 ladies. Not to mention, her husband to be's former lover princess Camille graced the court with her presence, which made life much more stressful for the young teenager. She laid awake in her chambers, listening to the various sounds the castle around her had to offer, which took her away from her situation temporarily. She moved to lay on her side and she heard a noise from down the hall, which made her heart race a tad bit more. Deciding to be smart about the situation, she quietly crept out of the bed and slipped her robe on over her nightgown, grabbing one of the candles and a match to light her way down the hallway. She exited the room and made her way down the long corridor, expecting a maid or even one of the prestigious royals that called this castle their home, but she was surprised to see the young princess from the other night, Madison, sitting on one of the couches with a flask gripped between her fingers.

"What on earth are you doing?" She asked, utterly perplexed by the appearance of the blonde so late in the night, especially in the state she was in. She was allowing the alcohol to take over her senses, for reasons unbeknownst to her, and she wanted to know what was troubling the girl so she took the seat next to her and folded her hands on her lap in an expectant manner, hoping she would be willing to unburden herself from the things she was going through, no matter how good or bad those things may be.

"Would you like the honest answer or the answer I gave to my family?" She asked bitterly, lifting the flask back up to her lips and taking a pull before tossing it next to her, her eyes trained on the landscape trapped between the windowpane.

"Well, I prefer honesty, but you may do whatever is comfortable for yourself, Princess." Zoe answered, her eyes trained on the side of her face. She sniffled and met her gaze, unshed tears glistening in her green eyes, and she felt a pang in her stomach at seeing her in such a way.

"Well, I received news that I am officially nearing the end of my days!" She chuckled humorlessly, using one hand to wipe away the tears that were beginning to fall from her eyes. The brunette was at a loss for words, she knew death was more common in this part of the world, but she didn't understand just how common it really was before she moved to France.

"I am so sorry Madison." She said sympathetically, her hand going on top of hers to comfort her, even though she had a feeling that her attempts were in vain. She doubted that anyone who had just been told they were going to inevitably perish could find comfort in anything, especially from a complete stranger.

"I do not want your pity, Your Grace. But thank you." She replied, her hand finding the square flask once more to take a sip of whatever was inside, which was no doubt something strong and numbing to the blonde.

"It is not pity, it is simply trying to be a friend to you in your times of restlessness." She said softly, a friendly smile finding its way onto her lips, which were still stained from the ruby red lipstick she had been forced to wear at yet another banquet to celebrate her engagement to the heir of the French throne.

"Well a friend will not make this any more inevitable now will it?" She asked harshly, her green eyes shining in the moonlight shrouding them. Zoe felt hurt by her vindictive words, but she chose not to let it show, instead ignoring what she had just said and moving on to another topic, which was about as painful to talk about as the news of Madison's impending death. The two sat talking and exchanging the flask between one another until the early hours of dawn, and when they parted ways and she finally got back safely into her chambers, the brunette fell into her bed with a smile on her face.

 

A few weeks had passed since Zoe had learned the news of her new friends tragic illness, and she went out of her way to make her feel as included as possible, even preferring to steal a few moments away with her than her fiance, who was growing agitated with the amount of time his future bride was spending with the princess.

"Zoe, may I steal you for a few minutes? It's urgent that I speak to you right away." She allowed herself to be led away by him, confused as to what he needed to speak about that was so important, until she caught wind of his expression and immediately knew why he was frustrated before he even spoke the words aloud.

"Sources told me that they witnessed you growing quite closer to a.. visitor. A female visitor to be specific. I shouldn't have to tell you that you're to be faithful only to me." His tone was harsh but the way he was holding onto her wrist was gentle, to show a false version of himself around the many people surrounding them. She knew exactly how abusive he was, and how desperate he was to ascend the throne, no matter the means necessary. She calmly removed her wrist from his grasp and stepped away from him, staring him down with an intense glare.

"You will not tell me who I can and can not choose to associate myself with. Besides, I am not into women anyways, because God have mercy on my soul right? I am perfectly capable of protecting myself and am perfectly capable of having good judgement. So if you'll excuse me, I am going to go prepare for the celebratory feast that will be held tonight in  _our_ honor." She finished, turning her back on him and grabbing the blonde by the hand, pulling her towards her chambers so that they could ready themselves together. The young queen had requested no maids to assist her, so that she could have some alone time with the princess, who was growing more anxious by the moment.

"It is alright, we are safe to do whatever we please in my room okay?" Zoe reassured her, placing her hands on her shoulders and giving them a light squeeze before she threw open the door and stepped over the threshold, peeking to make sure the coast was clear before letting the door fall shut behind them. Once they had gotten themselves settled on her bed, they spoke quietly out of fear of someone eavesdropping, and before either of them knew it, they were kissing, which was something that ended quite abruptly by the sound of knocking on her door. The pair jumped apart as if they had been electrocuted, and the taller girl fixed her clothing and other things before she opened the door, her heart dropping when she saw the prince on the other side, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"I am sorry for my behavior earlier Your Grace, may I come in so that we could talk about it?" His expression was hopeful, and she would feel bad if she denied him, so she moved to the side and allowed him entry into her room, silently praying that the princess was presentable and calm about what had just occurred between the two of them. His eyebrows rose at Madison's presence but he said nothing, only asking her if he could have a few moments with the brunette before the servants were to come in to help her prepare for tonight's events. She locked eyes with the blushing queen, but obliged nonetheless, shutting the door softly at her exit. Once Simon was sure the blonde was a good distance away from the room, his kind demeanor faded and there was fury in his eyes as he roughly gripped her upper arms, no doubt bruising them at how roughly he was squeezing her skin. Zoe fought against him, but it was useless, it was an iron tight hold that didn't appear to be letting up anytime soon. She felt tears leaving her eyes as he yelled in her face about how promiscuous she was and that it would be ending now or he would destroy everything that meant anything at all, including Madison. She quickly nodded at his words and he shoved her back onto the bed, hovering near her shaking body. His hand stroked across her collarbones as she cried even harder and then, the knock came at the door, the servants requesting entry. He looked conflicted as he looked down at her and to the door, and he gave her a murderous glare as he told her to call out that she needed a few more minutes, and that she would come and find one of them once she was doing with her current activity. But she felt bold, so she told them that it was fine for them to come in, and he squeezed the skin on her collarbone roughly before he sat up and put his facade back up, smiling at the servants on his way out of the room, but she didn't miss the threatening glint in his eyes as he looked coldly at her over his shoulder, before disappearing around the corner of the hallway, leaving her more frightened than she had ever been in her life.

 

Zoe was on edge as she lingered by the punch table of the feast, her eyes searching for Madison or any one of her ladies, some of the only people she found herself completely safe with. When the hand landed softly on her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled around, nearly spilling the wine in her hands all over the blondes baby blue dress, which complimented her fair skin nicely.

"Your Grace, are you alright??" She asked, concern evident in her words as she placed her arm around her, leading her to a less populated part of the room to speak to her so that people wouldn't be suspicious of their being together.

"Y-yes, I am fine, why would you think any differently?" She asked, her eyes darting around the rest of the room to see if she saw him watching her, but fortunately for her, he was preoccupied with some royals that arrived just for the event. She breathed a sigh of relief as her attention turned back to the blonde teenager standing in front of her, who was worried for the safety of the Scottish queen, who looked more vulnerable than she had ever seen.

"Because you seem frightened by something, is everything okay in your relationship with Prince Simon?" She asked softly, stepping a bit closer to be able to hear her response to the question. The brunette inhaled sharply at the closeness, but she didn't make a move to step away, she only got closer to the shorter girl, whose hands gently found her waist.

"N-no, he... abuses me. He is not the prince he portrays himself to be." She cried, her hands going to her face to shield her emotions from the girl, hating to be so weak about something that seemed so small to her.

"Then we must show him for who he really is." She replied seriously, her green eyes flashing with determination and another emotion she couldn't quite identify. The taller girl felt her heart drop down into her stomach at all the cruel punishments that would be inflicted on her if this plan were to fail, she was certain he would kill her for sure and potentially her family as well. Madison seemed to sense her hesitation, and she placed a hand gingerly on her arm as a way of reassurance for the teenager.

"You have to be the one to do it Your Grace, it'll hurt more coming from you." She whispered in her ear before she disappeared through the crowd, out of her eyesight. She wiped her sweaty palms on her dress, her eyebrows furrowing as she bickered with herself about what she could do, what alternative she could take without hurting someone or putting herself in any more danger. She took a sip out of the cup she had forgotten was in her hand and she took a big breath before weaving her way through the mob of tipsy and nearly inebriated royals and non royals alike. Once she had gotten to a place she knew people would see her, she gathered the attention from the people that occupied the room with a strong and clear voice.

"Excuse me, I have a very important announcement to make." All eyes were focused on her as everyone waited in anticipation for what the young girl would have to say to them, but before she could get out her words, a hand pressed firmly on her lower back and she felt his warm breath in her ear before she saw his face, which was no doubt displaying every shade of red that there was. She fumbled momentarily, but she regained her regalty before shoving him away from her and revealing the truth about their beloved prince, who was a monster and one of the most self indulgent people she had ever across in her short life. When everyone began to fully understand her words, murmurs began to erupt around them and soon, their eyes fell on their prince, who they hoped would prove these horrible things as false. But all he did was sneer, and everyone had their answer from that. He exited the hall quickly and Zoe breathed a sigh of relief as she did something she wasn't expecting to do.

"Princess Madison, would you care to join me up here?" The murmurs immediately stopped and the crowd parted for the blonde princess, who tentatively made her way to her, perplexed by what it was she was planning to do.

"Madison, you have made me the happiest person in such a short period of time, and you have made my stay at French Court so much more pleasurable than I could have ever imagined. You have also taught me many lessons, about self identity and just how short this life we have been given truly is. I love you, and I would like to be with you, if that would be okay with you." She looked at the shorter girl who stood across from her, and the expression that crossed her face at the realization.

"Your Grace, I would love nothing more than that." She answered, and then they kissed, which shocked the royals and everyone else to say the least. They had not been expecting this turn of events, but most of them were pleased, because they had gotten to know the visiting queen from different interactions, and been exposed to just how much she cared about her people and even people that were not. Once they pulled away from one another, they exchanged a smile and then began to dance with the royals well into the night, letting loose with not only themselves, but everyone else too. And for the first time in Zoe's young life, she was truly  _happy_  and she could ask for nothing better in this world than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i haven't written anything on here in a while so my apologies but i'm thinking about publishing a becky lynch fanfic that i've been working on for a few months so hopefully that goes according to plan! This story was originally only going to have one part, but I love angst so much that I've decided to add two additional parts, so hopefully anyone sticking around will read them and comment feedback as well(also leave kudos too please!!) hope everyone is doing well :)


	3. Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read Ballrooms & Princesses + Girls & Galas before this so you're not confused.

Ever since Zoe and Madison had publicly announced their desire to be together, life at French Court began to drastically change. She was with the princess, but she knew that she had to make a choice, and make one fast. Marrying Simon would strengthen her country and have troops lined up to fight in times of peril, and she could take Madison as her mistress, but she knew that the blonde was more than that, which made things more complicated than she originally thought. She was in the garden, reading her bible, when she felt a soft touch on her shoulder, and she could barely contain the smile at the sight of Madison standing behind her, looking strong and healthy in a velvety red dress which she knew she could never pull off.

"You're free to join me if you wish to, Princess." Zoe said in a hushed tone, looking over her shoulder to make sure that they were alone before turning back to the pages of the book she had traced more times than she could count. She was loyal to her religion, and to her Lord, and despite her union with Madison going against all morals she had drilled into her from a young age, she still read and prayed everyday she was able.

"How are you today, Your Grace?" Madison asked, placing her folded hands near her navel, which she had locked away in her mind whenever sleep eluded her whilst she was in her chambers, all alone.

"I'm alright Madison, how are you? You look healthier than the last time we crossed paths with one another." Her words were true, and the blonde bit her lip at the mention of the last time they had been in each others presence, underneath the moonlight in this very garden, their skin shining and promises of forever falling from their lips as their bodies became one.

"Well, the physicians said that I am showing promise of becoming better. I am starting to believe in magic after all." She laughed, and it sounded like the tinkering of bells in the wind, and Zoe decided at that very moment she wanted to hear that noise for the rest of her life, no matter what had to happen to make that possible.

"Magic exists only in fairytales, but who am I to try and make you revert to what I believe?" She questioned, sneaking a peek at Madison before returning back to the Bible in between her hands, flipped open to one of her favorite passages, one she read every night before she slept and every dawn before she started her tedious routines by Simon's side;

_1 Peter 4:8;_ _"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."_

"I only believe in magic, because what else would have brought me to your side, where I am the happiest I have ever been?" Madison countered, shifting closer on the bench so that their legs were touching, and even through the thick and wooly material of her dress, Zoe felt the warmth as if her skin were completely bare. She set down the worn Bible and turned so that she was facing the smaller girl, who licked her lips before leaning forward to capture her lips in a kiss. She was quick to loop her arms around her neck, and before looking just one more time to see if they were alone, they succumbed to their desire, collapsing onto the garden floors in a tangle of limbs and whispered promises.

 

By the time Zoe had made her way back through the castle and to her chambers, she was met by a sight that certainly surprised her. Her future king, Simon, stood by her vanity, his fingers ghosting over the comb she ran through her locks of hair every morning and every night, and she tried to compose herself before she cleared her throat, alerting him to her presence.

"Is there something that you needed, Simon?" She tried to keep her tone cool, but looking at him sparked an intense and red hot anger inside of her, like a snake coiled to attack at any given moment. He was different from the small and rebellious child she had spent her days with inside these very walls, and it saddened her almost as much as it frustrated her.

"I ask that you try not to make your affair so obvious to the other nobles, despite the fact that you publicly took her as your lover. Everyone knows that you and that Princess made love in the gardens this afternoon, and in turn, it makes my people lose their trust in me. This is not your court, and you are not the future king of France. Your reputation is nowhere near as important as mine." He spit the words out, and she would have cowered in fear months earlier, but she was no longer afraid of him.

"I may not be the future King, but I am the future Queen, am I not? Our reputations are the same level of importance, so do not dare undermine me just because you are angry I look to another for pleasure and comfort." The words were sharp and quick to roll off of her tongue, and she could have swore she saw a vein pulsing in his forehead, but she didn't get enough time to analyze because as soon as she had uttered the words, he was standing in front of her and had let his palm connect with her cheek, taking the words from the tip of her tongue and cramming them down her throat, to the near point of suffocation.

"You may be the future Queen, but remember this; you are not important here, to the other royals or the common people. You're not even really important to me, so do not think of sidestepping your boundaries again, because you will be severely punished next time you think of doing such a thing." Then he was gone, leaving her to cradle her injured cheek with one hand while trying to staunch the flow of tears with the other. Before she knew it, she was running down the halls and out into the courtyard, her eyes searching for Madison, but failing to find her. She collapsed onto the ground and held her cheek, looking up at the star filled sky and wondering why magic would not touch her life, and make the answer to her problems obvious and easy for her to cope with. But as she sat underneath the moonlight, her fingertips soothing the sting that spread along her cheek, she knew exactly what she had to do, no matter how much it hurt.

 

When she returned from the courtyard, Zoe walked through the vacant castle floors, hoping she would run into her lover while doing so, and upon her wandering to a more secluded area of the castle, she found her, nestled in the darkest of corners with her flask fisted tightly in her shaking hand. She wordlessly sat next to her and waited for any sign from the blonde, but there was nothing.

"The doctors said I will not survive much longer." Her words were humorless, and she saw the shining of unshed tears in the shadows, and without thinking of the inevitable, Zoe pulled Madison tightly to her side and ran her fingers through the fine strands of hair, like she had done hundreds of times in the months that followed their publicized relationship, and let her cry, no matter how much it made her heart ache.

"We can be together no longer. I am to marry Simon in a few days time, and I will not be able to give you the life that you deserve. You are more than just being my mistress, and you and I both know it. I love you Madison, but..." She trailed off, the words sticking in her throat, and she suddenly found it harder and harder to breathe as Madison looked her in her eyes, and cupped her injured cheek with gentle fingers.

"I can not offer you protection like all of France can. I can not offer you nearly as much as Simon can, and if it came down to it, you would lose everything if you chose me over him. I understand, Zoe, I understand. I love you too, and I do hope that this is not the end for our endeavors, as friends of course." Zoe was crying so hard now that she couldn't speak even if she tried, and she just nodded at the words that spilled from the blonde's lips, because as much as she wanted the new day to change what she already knew, she knew the limits of magic only went so far. Madison would not be her Queen, or anything more than that, and as they held each other for what would be the last time, she tried to accept it as best as her broken heart would let her.

 

The wedding happened a few days earlier, just as Zoe had predicted, and she stood in front of a mirror as her maids fussed over her corset, but her mind was anywhere but on the wedding that would take place minutes from now. Genevieve stood on one side of her while Alice occupied the other empty space, and she tried to remember when they first arrived at Court, when Katherine was alive and well and they were all oblivious to the horrors hidden inside the spacious walls.

"You're going to look beautiful, Your Grace." Alice commented, giving her a small smile in the reflection of the mirror, and she tried to turn her lips up in response, but all she could muster was a small nod. Genevieve remained silent, but her hand on her shoulder was enough to express just how she felt on the matter, and she tried not to think about what her union with Simon could do to the relationship she had with her remaining ladies. She knew he was jealous of the relationships she had with the two girls, and she also knew that spending time with them would become harder and harder to do as she tried to produce an heir with Simon and keep up with her regal responsibilities, so she squeezed the hand on her shoulder and cupped Alice's cheek with her free hand, before exhaling deeply and dismissing them from her room, fully prepared to face the fate she knew she would also have.

The wedding itself and the feast that followed had been decent, and she was surprised to see Simon so relaxed and blissful, but now was the time for the consummation of her marriage, and as they climbed into the bed, Zoe desperately hoped Madison wasn't present, so she didn't have to see her making love to another. She felt exposed as Simon made love to her, considering numerous pairs of eyes were glued to them but she tried not to let that be shown. She made eye contact with a few people, and her eyes fell onto the one person she hoped wouldn't be in attendance. Madison looked on, a stoic expression stitched across her features, but once she made eye contact with Zoe, a small smile found its way onto her lips, and she tried to envision the blonde in Simon's place, and vice versa. It seemed to work well for her, because she came undone underneath him, which seemed to please him sufficiently, and he rolled away from her and onto the other side of the bed, trying to catch his breath. Many royals began to exit at this, and she was happy that the pressure wasn't so heavy on her chest now, but she still felt guilt clawing away at her gut as she stared up at the ceiling, thinking about what it would be like to be anything other than who she was at this very moment. She treasured her subjects and her home country, but being a Queen was much harder than it looked, and she craved the feeling of being just a girl, Zoe and nothing more. She ached for that normalcy she knew she would never have, and sadness quickly seized her.

"You are free to go to your chambers if you wish. But you will have to move into mine in a few days." Simon's voice was breathy but clear, and she ducked from underneath the canopy and quickly redressed in her pajamas, avoiding looking back at him at all costs. She left the room silently and weaved through passageways where she wouldn't run into anyone, but she was unlucky, because she came face to face with Madison right outside of her chambers, who looked pale and unwell leaning against the wall.

"Beautiful service, Your Grace." She praised, but Zoe knew her words could not be any less sincere, and she just sighed at her words, pausing at the door to look at her.

"I know you are angry with me, but I did not know you would come to my wedding, Madison. I am quite tired, so any discussions we have ahead of us, will have to wait until a later date. Goodnight Princess." She pushed open her door but she felt a hand grasp her elbow, and she willingly turned back around to look at the shorter girl, who suddenly looked more frail than she had ever seen her.

"There is nothing left to discuss. You are married and will be producing heirs before long and I am dying! It seems fit for the life we almost lived for ourselves. I thought that maybe...." Her flow of words suddenly stopped, and her face changed, and then she was falling right into Zoe's arms, knocking her back against the door and onto the floor, with barely enough time to catch herself before she ended up injured.

"Madison? Madison??" When the blonde did not wake up, fear gripped her, and she delivered a gentle slap to the side of her face, to rouse her. When that proved unsuccessful, she tried wiggling her hips around to get a reaction, but there was nothing.

"Guards! Guards, someone help! A princess has fallen!!" Zoe screamed, loud enough for anyone to hear her, and she tried to suppress her tears, but they rolled down her cheeks, fat and hot and panic induced. She had made her choice, but she failed to realize that it would end up costing her someone else she cared for.

"The medics will be here soon, you're going to be alright." She said softly, cupping Madison's cheek with a shaky hand, and as she sat cradling her to her chest, she desperately prayed that she would make it through, and that she wouldn't be left without another person she cared so much about.

 

News of Madison's collapse had reached far and wide by now, but instead of doing her best to quell the rumors regarding the blonde princess, Zoe sat glued by her side, their hands conjoined even though the unresponsive girl could not feel her there. Simon had visited her, and offered his condolences to his new bride, but she knew he was pleased with the turn of events, and that it was another obstacle that was eliminated that was preventing him from having her. Her friends had offered their prayers, but the more time that passed, the less likely the chances were of Madison regaining consciousness again. But the young Queen was persistent, and she had an odd fascination with magic now, and that's all that she had to rely on bringing back her love, the one person that truly had captured her heart.

"Your Grace, are you sure you do not want to rest?" Kinsley, one of the newer servants asked with a gentle tone, and she just waved her off, squeezing Madison's hand a little tighter as she kept her eyes glued to her face, which had paled significantly after her collapse.

"Can you at least try to eat something? You have not consumed a single morsel of any of the dinner baskets brought to you by your husband." The young servant said, and she looked at her, silencing her with a single glare.

"I will eat when I am able, and when I choose to. Your services are not required in this room any further, leave us." With a curtsy and a small nod, Kinsley left, and Zoe felt like she could breathe again. She turned her attention back to the blonde, and pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles, even though she could not feel it.

"You must wake Madison, you must. You have a life ahead of you, and it is a promising one at that. Do you recall when I played off your claims of magic because of my own religious beliefs? Well, I was wrong. Magic does exist, and it is what has held us up in the times we thought we would not prevail together. It exists when I am with you. Please wake up. I beg you." She cried, her tears falling onto their clasped hands, and she felt that horrible feeling in her gut again. She felt Madison's hand go limp in hers, and everything seemed to slow down as she screamed out, a scream that was one filled with anguish and the deepest kind of sadness, and that alerted the presence of Kinsley and the other servants nearby. They came into the room to Zoe on the bed next to Madison, clutching at her hand and pleading with the young princess to come back to her. They all knew what that must mean, but they still fled to fetch the physicians, who followed them wordlessly down the corridors filled with anxious royals and common people alike.

"Come back to me Madison, come back!" Zoe sobbed, pressing her forehead against hers as the medics finally reached the room, and she looked at them with bleary eyes and an expression that could only be described as defeated.

"Your Grace, you must give us some room." One of the medics instructed, while two more pulled her away from the blonde and restrained her so that she could not jump back onto the bed and disrupt their attempts to bring her back. She watched in agonizing silence as they bustled around Madison, using everything at their disposal to try and lead her from the brink of death, but she knew it was futile, and by the looks they exchanged, they knew it too. On March 12th, just shy from the start of Spring, Madison Montgomery died, and along with her, Zoe Benson's heart died too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the conclusion to this trilogy, and of course, it had to end with one of them dying because that's just what I do best LMFAOO. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this nonetheless though, and I hope you all are well too, please leave your kudos and feedback on this, it helps me out loads x.

**Author's Note:**

> [This is literally so bad I’m screaming, I’m so sorry for any incorrectness that was portrayed through this small one shot, I looked up different towns around that time period and did a little bit of research to write in the mindset of a girl whose last wish was to have an entire country resting on her shoulders. I’m proud that this is original though, which counts for something I suppose.]


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